Oil-can.



No. 758,762. PATENTED MAY 3, 1904.

\ G. LUND.

OIL GAN- APPLICATION rum) JUNE 1,1903.

no MODEL.

WITNESSES: IN VENTOR Q E E mnwvW NITED STATES Patented May 3, 1904.

GUSTAV LUND, OF- ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

OIL-CAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,762, dated May 3, 1904.

Application filed June 1, 1903. Serial No. 159,568. (No model.)

To all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV-14111), a citizen of the United States, "residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Oil Cans, ofwhich the following is a fuIL cle ar, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My inventionhas relation to improvements in oil-cans; and it consists in the novel construction of can more fully set forthin the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section on line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the can. Fig. 3 is a side elevation with parts broken away, showing the can tilted. Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional detail of the valve carried by the air-tube, and Fig. 5 is a top plan with screw-Gap removed.

The object'of my invention is to construct a can for inflammable liquids,-such as gasolene, in which the danger of explosion in the pouring of the liquid in the neighborhood of a flame is practically eliminated or at least reduced to a minimum. In the ordinary can the vapor which accumulates above the liquid is generally in open communication with the atmosphere, the vapor being thus free to escape, and in the event of the can being in proximity to a flame, as when filling the tank of a gasolene-stove while in service, the escaping vapor is apt to take fire, and an explosion is the result. IVith my present improvement this danger is wholly eliminated, as a seal is formed between the vapor in the can and the outside air, so that there is little or no danger of the vapor escaping.

In detail the device'may be described as follows:

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a conventional form of can provided with a screw-cap 2, through which the can may be lilled. Leading from the bottom of the can and disposed, preferably, along the inside wall of the same is a discharge-tube 3, whose outer end terminates in a U-shaped trap 4, the discharge-leg of which is extended a suitable distance outward from the can, thus forming a pouring-spout 4', as seen in the drawings. In the act of pouring the oil from the can the trap fills, thus virtually forming a seal, which prevents the escape of any vapor from: the can, this result being doubly insured by reason of the inner end of the tube 3 extending to the bottom of the can, thus being always below the surface of the liquidin'the can. At the conclusion of the pouring operation the column 01: liquid in the vertical portion ofthe tube .3 in dropgpingback to the level of the liquid in the canwould by suction draw the contents of the trap after it. So to avoid-this I tap the point of connection of the tube 3 with the trap with a bowed or curved venttube 5, which as the column of liquid in the tube 3 drops allows suflicient air to follow after it, thus leaving the liquid in the trap undisturbed. The free end of the vent-tube 5 preferably taps the wallof the can at a point diametrically oppositethe point of connection of its opposite end with the trap, the tube in practice being made of small bore to avoid excessive evaporation.

In order to supply-air to the space above the liquid, I provide the can with an air-tube 6, located, preferably, along the outside wall of the can, the upper open end of said tube tapping the wall at' a point below the adjacent end of the tube 5. The lower end of the airtube carries a valve 7, which controls an opening 8, formed in the peripheral wall of the tube, the valve closing the opening when the can is set down upon the floor or other surface and uncovering the opening when the can is raised off the floor'to discharge the liquid, it being understood that the length of the tube 6 is such as to reach approximately to the bottom of the can. The valve 7 is in the form of athimble closed at the bottom and loosely embracing the tube, the upper inwardly-turned rim 7 of the valve being arrested and supported by the lower terminal flange 9 of the air-tube when the valve drops to its lowest position. The valve] by thus closing the opening 8 prevents any possible escape of vapor when the can is not in use, so that the danger of explosion by reasonof escaping vapor is red uced to a minimum, even should the can be set in proximity to a flame or lire in the room. To prevent an accidental discharge of the contents of the trap into the Vent-tube 5 as the can is being righted from its tilted position, Fig. 3, the tube 5 is prefi- .erably bent or bowed upward, so as to drain Having described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. In an oil-can, a discharge-tube leading from the bottom of the can to the upper portion thereof, a U-shaped trap at the upper end of the tube, a pouring-spout extended outward from one leg of the trap, and an openended vent-tube located along the roof of the can communicating at one end with the discharge-tube at its point of connection with the trap, the opposite end of the vent-tube communicating with the atmosphere, substantially as set forth.

2. In an oil-can, a dischargetube leading from the bottom of the can to the upper portion thereof, av trap communicating with the upper end of the tube, a pouring-spout forming an extension of the trap, and an upwardly loo-Wed or bent vent-tube located along the roof of the can having one end communicating with the upper end of the discharge-tube, and the.

opposite end with the atmosphere, substantially as set forth.

3. In an oii-can, a discharge-tube leading from the bottom of the can to the upper portion thereof, an air-tube leading from the upper portion of the can to a point adjacent to the bottom thereof, a valve or thimble carriedby the lower end of said aii -tube, the latter having an opening adapted to be closed by the valve when the can is set down upon a suitable supporting-surface, said opening being uncovered by the removal of the can from its supporting-surface, substantially as set forth. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GUSTAV LUN D.

Witnesses:

EMIL STAREK, MARY D. WHITCOMB. 

